On Dec. 29, officers responded to a reported burglary at the Mud Puddle Cafe in the Water Street Market, police said. Police said in the weeks following, officers investigated 19 additional burglary complaints. During this time, members of the department, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and SUNY New Paltz police followed up on leads and conducted numerous plain clothes patrols of businesses, police said.

Keller targeted specific businesses he believed did not have alarms and that could be accessed easily, police said. Police said he would force entry into the business through a window or door and steal cash.